Box-fastener.



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

HENRY M. SHEER, OF QUINOY, ILLINOIS.

BOX-FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 638,648, dated December5, 1899.

Application filed March 18,1899. Serial No. 709,613. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY IWI. SHEER, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Quincy, in the county of Adams and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Egg-OaseFasteners, of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to an improvement in egg-case fasteners, the objectbeing to provide a simple, inexpensive, and effective means for closinga box or crate of any description and more particularly an egg box orcrate, either at the top or at any point down in the box or crate, asconsumption of the contents takes place; and the invention consists incertain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, whichwill be hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a top view of my improvedegg-case fastener with the cap-plate removed, and Figs. 2 and 3 are topand bottom plan views of the capplate, respectively.

A represents a wooden cover made in the required dimensions for the boxor crate to which it is to be applied, and l l indicate cross-cleatssecured at each end of the cover on the upper side thereof, and in thesecleats or blocks, if preferred, holes 2 2 are formed.

B B indicate a pair of prongs preferably constructed of wire bent into Vshape, with their inner ends coming to a point adjacent to each otherand their outer ends sharpened or pointed, as at 3 3, to penetrate theinner ends of the boX or crate to which the cover is to be applied, theypassing through holes 2 2 in the cleats or blocks l l.

A hand-lever C is pivoted between the inner ends of the prongs on ascrew or pin 4, and this lever is provided with a pair of cams 5 5,lying on opposite sides of the pivot or fulcrum, these cams beingadapted to bear upon the inner ends of the prongs when the lever isturned in one direction to force said prongs simultaneously outward. Thelever is likewise provided with recesses 6 6, to which the cams lead andin Which the inner ends of the prongs rest, holding the lever on adead-center and the lever at the same time locking the prongs in theiroutward throw when the lever is thrown into one of its extremepositions. The lever is also provided with seats 7 7, close to and atopposite sides of the pivot and to which the cams lead, to receive theinner ends of the prongs when the lever is thrown to the oppositeposition from that described and when the prongs are made to recede fromtheir position in the wall of the box or crate. As a means for forcingthese prongs inward with the motion of the lever, the links 8 8 areprovided, they being pivoted at one end to the lever and at the oppositeend hooked into the inner U-shaped ends of the prongs. Capplate D isfitted over the pivoted end of the lever and constructed to guide theprongs at their inner ends in a strictly rectilinear movement, and forthis purpose the grooves 9 9 are formed in the inner face of thecap-plate. The plate is held in position by the pins l0 10 and the pivot4, which forms the fulcrum for the lever. Stops ll 1l are formed on theplate for deii ning the movements of the lever.

A handle E is pivoted in bearings l2 l2, formed in an edge of thecap-plate. This handle is made of a wire preferably bent in the middle,with its ends springing outward, and the bearings l2 l2fare inclined orcam-shaped on their inner edges to hold the handle against the coverwhen in one position, and they have the notches 13 13 to receive thehandle when in its upright position and retain it there until sufficientforce is applied to move it down- Ward.

From the foregoing it will be seen that as the prongs are forcedoutwardly they are inclined to spread laterally or apart, thus forcingthemselves securely into position in the box or crate, where they willremain until withdrawn by manipulating the lever.

It is hardly necessary to say that the parts are few, simple, andperfectly easy to construct and assemble, and, furthermore, theyconstitute a secure and easily-operated fastening device which can beapplied to any article -in which a similar style of fastening isdesired.

It is evident that slight changes might be resorted to in the form andarrangement of the several parts described without departing from thespirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not wish to limitmyself to the exact construction herein set forth; but,

IOO

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination with a pair of prongs having a straight slidingconnection with a lid or cover, ltheir inner ends in proximity to eachother, of an operating-lever pivoted between the inner ends of theprongs and loosely connected therewith, said lever provided at itspivoted end with cams and oppositely-located recesses and seats withwhich the prongs have sliding connection.

2. The combination with a V-shaped prong, of aV4 lever having a camthereon which engages the inner end of the prong a link extending fromthe lever to the prong and the lever provided with a recess whichengages the inner end of the prong when the latter is forced outwardlyand with a seat into which the inner end of the prong recedes when theprong is drawn inwardly.

3. The combination with a V-shaped prong, a cover with which it hassliding connection and a cap-plate between which and the cover the prongis caused to have a rectilinear movenient, of a lever provided with acam for engagin g the prong and forcingit outwardly and a link extendingfrom the lever to the prong for drawing the latter inwardly.

4. The combination with a cover, a pair of V-shaped prongs havingsliding connection therewith and a cap-plate having grooves on its innerface between which and the cover the inner ends of the prongs are guidedin rectilinear movement, said cap havingbearings, of a lever having camsand seats formed thereon and links extending therefrom to the prongs, apivot for securing the cap-plate in position and forming a bearing forthe lever and a handle held between the bearings of 4o the cap-plate andthe cover.

HENRY M. SHEER.

In presence of.n

IRA M. MOORE, WILLIAM EHER.

